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Junk Food Busted

Quick Overview

As we all know, junk food is defined as food with empty calories — it provides fat, sugar and salt, without nutrition. But how bad is it? This is what CSE's laboratory checked recently. The results were both predictable and alarming. Read the book to know more.

"Reading nutritional labels before buying packaged food is the way to go, but only if the labels don't lie. Tests on some popular ready-to-eat and instant products by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that packaged foods are often not as safe as labels claim to be...CSE tells us this and more about what food manufacturers conveniently forget to mention in its Junk Food Busted: Why and How" - Rhythma Kaul, Hindustan Times

“Junk Food Busted. Why and How” is very appropriate for inexperienced user, predominantly children and teenager, regarding to the junk food, as the name suggests. Review by Achim Schmitte

“Junk Food Busted. Why and How” is very appropriate for inexperienced user, predominantly children and teenager, regarding to the junk food, as the name suggests. Especially the basically clarity and pointed questions disburden the reader the introduction of the almost known junk food issue. The way of marketing strategies to influence students get described. Among others the authors are responsive to health impacts (non-communicable diseases) and the complex of problems of the Indian under nutrition and over nutrition.

Furthermore they hand out helpful advices and motivation, based on numerous studies and examples, to raise students' awareness of the current situation facing to the increasing junk food demand. Indeed there are already attempts to implement regulations, however nothing happened in the policy. Therefore it is quite important to reduce acknowledge gaps and with the help of “Junk Food Busted. Why and How” it is possible. All in all the issues are depicted and the book is a must-have for everybody, who wants to be a part of the transition.
(Posted on 12/2/13)

Junk food busted. Why and How, is a book that warns the masses about the ongoing fast food take-over. Review by Anshul Aggarwal

Junk food busted. Why and How, is a book that warns the masses about the ongoing fast food take-over. The book features a few never known before facts based on primary testing of fast foods varying from noodles, burgers and potato chips. The book gives an in depth view of marketing treacheries and 'fun' facts about the food we find fun to eat.

There is a very thin line between recreation and addiction that the book clearly states. The comic book approach shall reach out to more than just the over-educated.

In totality the book aims at creating awareness amongst children and adults alike to discuss the importance of healthy eating in an very elaborate and informative yet not boring fashion.
(Posted on 12/2/13)

Junk Food Busted, Why and how is a very informative book on the current scenario of junk food in India.Review by Rahul Laroya

Junk Food Busted, Why and how is a very informative book on the current scenario of junk food in India. By using a simplistic style of writing it is accessible not only to students in high school and also because of the sheer volume and quality of data, can be used by researchers as well.

We take for granted the kinds of food that we consume on a daily basis, not knowing the negative long-term impacts that go along with it. In today’s day and age, junk food has become a primary source of food to many people due to its easy availability and low cost. However, we need to really understand the adverse health effects that can be caused by over consumption of these various foods. Even people who religiously read the nutritional values of packaged foods are lead astray as most companies are very selective and manipulate data to show only a partial truth. This is even more evident when taking into account trans fats and caffeine levels.

This book also focuses on the rising rate of obesity and diabetes in various states in India. These statistics are eye opening as UNICEF states that 61 million children in India experience stunted growth due to a lack of proper nutrition. India is one of the few countries in the world that suffers from under nutrition and obesity to such a degree. This paper also tackles the various components in junk food itself such as sugars, fats, oils, iodine, etc. It bring to the surface the various positive impacts and shortcomings of each of these factors and its overall effect on our body chemistry.

I especially enjoyed the areas where direct tests on foods such as Lays, KFC, McDonalds, Haldirams was conducted; these are foods that we consume on a weekly basis without fully understanding the dietary and health impacts.

I do feel that the book can be more robust and comprehensive in a few ways. Most of the examples cited in the papers were from packaged and processed foods. However, a large population of the country consumes sweets and fried Indian snacks such as jalebis and pakodas, which, in my personal opinion, also constitute junk food. Also, there is an increasing trend with companies pushing diet and low fat packaged foods. It would be interesting to see a comparison between theses “low fat” products and their otherwise normal counterparts.

Although the book cannot physically stop us from eating junk food as a whole, I feel that it gives us a better idea of the food that we so easily and readily consume and lets us make informed choices.
(Posted on 12/2/13)